This invention relates to liquid laundry detergents in unit dosage form in a package comprising a water-soluble film-forming material.
The use of water-soluble film packages to deliver unit dosage amounts of laundry products is well known. Granular detergents and granular bleaches have been sold in this form on an irregular basis in the United States of America since about 1958.
A compact granular detergent composition in a water-soluble film pouch has been recently described in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-151032 (Lion Corporation), filed June 27, 1986. A paste detergent composition packaged in a water-soluble film is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-151029 (Lion Corporation), also filed June 27, 1986. Further disclosures relating to detergent compositions which are either pastes, gels, or mulls packaged in water-soluble films can be found in Canadian Patent No. 1,112,534 (Pardo--Procter & Gamble) issued Nov. 17, 1981; and European Patent Applications Nos. 158464 and 234867 (Kaufmann et al--Clorox), published Oct. 16, 1985, and Sept. 2, 1987, respectively.
None of the above prior art disclosures relate to packaging a true, aqueous liquid laundry detergent, particularly a phase-stable, clear liquid laundry detergent, in a package of water-soluble film-forming material which is in direct contact with the liquid laundry detergent.
It is generally believed that liquid laundry detergents are incompatible with water-soluble films because of their water content. Thus, the attendant advantages of liquid laundry detergents over other forms of laundry detergents such as granules, pastes, gels, and mulls have not been available in water-soluble unit dosage form. The advantages of liquid laundry detergents over granules, pastes, gels, and mulls include their aesthetic appearance and the faster delivery and dispersibility of the detergent ingredients to the laundry wash liquor, especially in a cool or cold water washing process. A clear, isotropically stable liquid is particularly pleasing in appearance and appealing to consumers when packaged in a water-soluble film.